Cameron L.

In 2025, for the first time in 120 years, New York City will elect a mayor without an endorsement from the New York Times. Much of the change in local news happens gradually: attrition thins the ranks, new entrants (like us!) build incrementally. But even in a big market like New York City, it comes in spasms, too. Today, there were two large, negative developments. First, Audacy announced that it would be retiring the legendary WCBS 880 call letters, and ending its all-news format, leaving 1010 Wins (which has the same parent company) as the only commercial news station in the city. Then, the New York Times announced it would stop making endorsements in local and statewide races, ceding the field entirely to the conservative New York Post. The Times's endorsements were deeply researched and reported, and hugely influential. They also resulted in some pretty robust vetting. The Post, meanwhile, effectively endorses candidates on its news pages, in op-ed section, and in its editorials, and campaigns hard, both on page 1 and online for the candidates preferred by its owner. We are building an alternative in THE CITY (newsroom), but the urgency of the task just increased significantly.

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🚨 Beware *shiny object* syndrome in media relations 🌟 In tech PR, we *always* celebrate a big client “hit” in TechCrunch. 🕺 Ditto coverage in powerhouses like the WSJ & NYT & HBR. That never fails to thrill! 🤩 But the truth is, the media relations game usually *isn’t won or lost* with these heavy hitters. It’s not. These are spikes 📈 They’re peaks in the PR pro’s never-ending quest to *eliminate valleys* 📉 I won’t bullshit you: Coverage in these top outlets are both precious & rare — and that’s why they’re so highly coveted. But in between these spikes in huge coverage wins is the *aggregate* body of work of media relations. This is where the true PR pros earn their stripes without much fanfare. I’m talking about *grinding it out* for clients in: *Trade publications *Contributed articles *Podcast appearances *Newsletters & Slack channels *Across a variety of social channels *On LinkedIn in particular They say slow and steady wins the race. 🐢 I disagree. Fast and steady wins the race in tech PR. 🐇 Celebrate the huge wins with your public relations team. For sure! But never look down your nose at the day-to-day victories that power a *consistently productive* PR program. That’s where your bread is really buttered. This is the way ✊ #publicrelations #mediarelations

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Curious about how to navigate the ever-changing influencer landscape? Join me tomorrow at Morning Brew's NYC event, "Perfecting Your Influencer IQ" where I'll be speaking with Mae Karwowski, Founder & CEO, Obviously & Kyle Hagge, Chief of Staff, Morning Brew about: 🌟 Consumer Sentiments: Understand the current attitudes and behaviors about influencers. 💡 Maximizing ROI: Strategies to leverage influencer partnerships effectively. 📈 Trends: Discuss the latest trends shaping the influencer landscape and how to stay ahead. It's not too late to register: https://lnkd.in/dwvaDSiZ #InfluencerMarketing #ROI #ConsumerInsights #MarketingTrends #MorningBrew

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NotebookLM by Google Labs is eerily good. Its' an AI that will take your PDFs and turn them into Podcasts As a Content Director in Tech, I'm always on the lookout for game-changing innovations. Today, I want to spotlight a tool that's genuinely impressed me: NotebookLM by Google Labs. Here's why it's turning heads in the tech world: NotebookLM can transform your PDF documents into listenable podcasts. Imagine turning your reports, research papers, or even books into audio content effortlessly. The AI doesn't just read your PDFs; it understands and summarizes them, creating coherent and engaging audio content. It can handle up to 40 books worth of documents. Those docs are NOT used to train large language models. NotebookLM also creates citations to the original material, so you can reference back to a quote or fact to make sure it is right. This feature opens up new possibilities for content consumption, making information more accessible to those who prefer or need audio formats. For professionals and students alike, this tool could revolutionize how we consume and process information, allowing for efficient learning. For content creators, this tool offers a new avenue to repurpose and distribute written content in an audio format, potentially reaching new audiences. The implications of this technology are vast, from education and business to content marketing and accessibility services. Have you tried NotebookLM? I'd love to hear your experiences or thoughts on how this technology could impact your field. #AI #ContentCreation #TechInnovation #GoogleLabs #NotebookLM #PDFtoPodcast

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Clean Creatives released its fourth annual F-List report publicizing advertising and public relations agencies' relationships with fossil fuel companies. The activist group found 1,010 contracts between 590 agencies and over 400 fossil fuel companies. “This is absolutely the most comprehensive list we’ve ever published,” Duncan Meisel told ADWEEK. “We added dozens of new sources of data, and I think we’re very close to the point where there’s simply no other contracts out there that we could possibly add.” Still, all major holding companies and over 700 indie agencies work for oil, gas, and coal companies. The continuation of that work, plus high-profile contract wins like the Havas Media Shell account last year have some climate-minded employees inside those agencies feeling discouraged. "[The F-List] is still a needed reminder to hold up accountability to an industry that is doubling down on business as usual,” one holding company-owned agency employee said, noting that work streams related to two major oil and gas clients are “alive and well” at their firm. “Sustainability doesn’t seem to be a business priority anymore,” they added. https://lnkd.in/guVBTDYk

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We’re on Substack. Come and subscribe if you’re interested in improving your content strategy and hearing more about other mission-driven businesses. (It’s free). #Substack #ContentStrategy

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We've been doing self-promotion in PR all wrong. If you want to blow up, beefs with contemporaries is where all the coverage is. Just look at all the headlines with Drake and Lamar. All I need is another publicist to feud with as I work on my bars. 🎤 "Your pitch is so weak, you couldn't land a story on your company's blog." Show me what you got? #PR #publicrelations #communications #chasetake

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The publishing world was a buzz this week thanks to two bits of news: First, Taylor Swift is releasing a photo-packed, 256 page book celebrating her Eras Tour exclusively at Target on Black Friday. Swift’s team essentially bypassed the traditional publishing channels to strike a deal with one major retailer to release what will be a guaranteed best-selling title. Taylor’s earned props for her shrewd entertainment deals, including the “Eras Tour” concert movie which she negotiated directly with AMC and thus kept a larger piece of profts. My writer friends have been discussing at length how Taylor’s book deal demonstrates the strength of publishing options outside of the traditional pub deal with a big 5 firm, and how other authors will be looking to model Taylor’s moves in the future. Additionally, a new study analyzing the return on investment authors received from publishing books revealed books can be a worthwhile investment beyond just pure sales figures. Most of the 300 or so authors surveyed reported increased sales, awareness or oppurtunities from releasing books via several pub models. More fun facts—including how those who used ghostwriters were more profitable thatn those who didn’t—can be found at authorroi.com. One takeaway for me: the authors surveyed were mostly white, which tells me that more leaders of color should get their stories out there. I know there are plenty of Black and brown authors with exceptional stories and lessons that would connect with readers, and this survey shows the business advantages of publishing those stories is clear.

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I asked media for their PR pet peeves. Here is what Dan Ackerman, Editor-in-Chief of Micro Center News (and former Gizmodo EiC, CNET Editorial Director), shared: ☑ Get to the point: Reading through a long email or press release to figure out what the "new" information or announcement is can be a pain. I love seeing an executive summary at the top—this is what's new, and these bullet points are the key takeaways. As I've said to a few colleagues over the years, the operative word in "News" is "New." ☑ Time zones: I deal with a lot of embargoed information. Please, please, please, make sure to include important dates and times in EST and/or PST. Don't ask me to calculate what Central Time is in NYC or to figure out which countries use CET vs. CEST (Central European Summer Time). ☑ Avoid AI: I'm already seeing the dreaded spammyness of AI-generated copy sneaking into press releases. AI tends to deliver an extra-large serving of word salad. Don't feel like you have to pad a word count with AI—shorter and more direct is better. ✅ Bonus: A reverse pet peeve! I hate to give this secret away, but following up works. I can have thousands (sometimes tens of thousands) of unread emails. If you follow up, it's statistically more likely that I'll see your email and devote a few minutes to reading through it and considering it. If you don't hear back from a likely candidate you expected to hear from, there's at least a decent chance the email just flew by in the daily torrent. [EiC (Editor-is-Chase) note: Be sure to check out this tech ex-EiC roundtable featuring Dan, where they discuss the state of tech journalism in 2024: https://lnkd.in/gi7Utihb] ✍ 🚘Media drive-by takes on PR #pr #publicrelations #communications #mediapov

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Happy Monday! This one is for founders (most PR folks know better): Asking reporters "can you please feature our product/help us out" is the quickest way to guarantee 1) no response 2) no coverage Please do some basic homework to understand how journalism works

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Bons insights sobre uso do Tik Tok

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I see the fight over Perplexity as a battle of the metaphorical Large Adult Sons. On one side, legacy publishers want to squeeze out every last inch of screen space to run programmatic banner ads that literally no one likes; all while wildly underpaying their authors; creating pay-to-play expert committees for business leaders to "contribute" to articles; promoting and advertising bloated businesses that add more software interfaces (and nothing else) to the digitally transformed world. On the other side, tech bros have overpaid yet again for an easy way out, a summarization tool that chews up everyone else's hard-earned content and spits out the bones on the side of the road, with a few references. Perplexity is worse than Wikipedia in some minds, because it shows a blatant disregard for existing intellectual property laws. Per a recent lawsuit, AI startup doesn't respect the intellectual property of Forbes ... but Perplexity and I have that in common. Forbes is among the worst offenders in the world of overhyped garbage UX digital content farms. After evaluating how Perplexity.ai was reading and interpreting The Content Technologist and driving a couple of qualified-ish visits, I'm viewing tools like Perplexity as a solid go-to for content discovery tool for audiences who want more than a quick answer but don't want to read a whole book about a topic... or they want to learn who the leading voices around a topic are before making a decision on whose expertise to follow. Dare I say, viewed as a gateway to meeting a researcher's need, Perplexity's articles might be more valuable than a SERP. Maybe. I understand the attraction, and though it is overvalued and overhyped, it's not the worst. Dare I say I almost liked it. I also published a newsletter nearly five years ago with the subject line, "What will Quibi's innovation be?" so I can't predict the future better than any of the rest of you. (It turns out Quibi's best innovation was the rapid pace at which it set fire to legacy entertainment industry money.) #contentstrategy #seo #contentdiscovery #ai #perplexity #SERPs

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The Wall Street Journal layoffs are a disgrace. It’s one thing for a struggling publication to resort to laying off journalists. (Even though many struggle because they’ve been bought and gutted/mismanaged by private equity, but that’s another post.) For WSJ to lay off journalists after signing a 9-figure deal with OpenAI that profits off of the work of journalists and threatens their future job prospects — it’s unconscionable. Reporting about the layoffs, NPR highlights not just this deal for HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of dollars, but the fact that WSJ has seen subscriptions surge and its parent company is enjoying record profits. The ostensible reason for the layoffs is that EIC Emma Tucker wants to reorg and focus on digital and subscriber growth (though staffers say a tangible vision has yet to emerge). Fine. Retrain the journalists you have on staff. Journalists are the most adaptable people you’ve ever met. Look at what has happened to our industry in just the past decade. Journalists can pivot. They can upskill and learn new beats and “focus on digital” (LOL to that because without a backbone of strong reporting it won’t matter). No wonder more prominent journalists are striking out on their own. The WSJ leadership should be ashamed of this move that undercuts the value of the people who have brought them their success.

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The challenge in comparing creator media with the rest of your media plan, per Omnicom's Kevin Blazaitis VuePlanner (check out the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/eBqyuzc5)

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Michael Levine, America’s Leading Media Expert, Explains Why Turkey Gets Cheaper Around Thanksgiving: “Retailers Don’t Make Money on Turkey, But They Still Make Money on You!” ----- www.BoundlessMediaUSA.com As Thanksgiving approaches, consumers across America are noticing a familiar trend: frozen turkeys hitting rock-bottom prices at major retailers like Walmart, Target, and Aldi. But behind the holiday discounts lies a clever retail strategy that media expert Michael Levine calls “the ultimate bait and switch.” This year, Walmart is offering whole frozen turkeys at just 88 cents per pound, while Aldi promotes a $47 Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people. Target isn’t far behind, pricing its store-brand turkeys at a mere 79 cents per pound. It might look like retailers are embracing the spirit of giving, but Levine reveals the real reason behind the holiday markdowns. “Traditional economics tell us that prices should increase during high-demand periods,” says Levine. “But retailers lower turkey prices when demand is highest because they know the turkey isn’t the end of your shopping. It’s the beginning.” The Turkey Trap: A Loss Leader That Wins Big The idea is simple: offer a cheap turkey to get shoppers through the door, then rely on them to buy everything else needed for the holiday feast — and beyond. According to a recent study, less than 2% of shoppers only purchase loss leader items like discounted turkeys. The majority fill their carts with higher-margin products, boosting the retailer’s profits. “Retailers may take a loss on the turkey, but they win big on the extras,” says Levine. “You walk in for a cheap turkey and leave with a new TV or a cart full of groceries. It’s a classic example of using a ‘loss leader’ to drive traffic and increase overall sales.” Why Do Prices Drop in November? Turkey prices peak in September and October but start falling as Thanksgiving nears. Experts say there are a couple of reasons for this anomaly: Price Sensitivity: Consumers are hyper-aware of turkey prices during the holidays. By offering lower prices, retailers attract more foot traffic. Building Loyalty: Deep discounts on turkeys encourage shoppers to try a new store, potentially converting them into regular customers. “Retailers like Target, Walmart, and Aldi know that brand loyalty is fragile,” Levine adds. “By offering a great deal on turkey, they hope to cement long-term loyalty and keep customers coming back even after the holiday season.” Aldi Shopper’s Question: Can We Keep the Discounts? The strategy works, but not everyone is convinced. One shopper recently posted on Aldi’s Facebook page: “If you can offer these prices now, why can’t you keep them low year-round to help us out?” Levine’s answer: “Retailers use Thanksgiving as a strategic moment to capture market share, knowing that if they can win customers now, they might win them for the entire year.

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YouTube changed the world in many ways, but it's still under-appreciated how revolutionary the creator rev-share is... The TV value chain was MVPD -> Network -> Studio -> Talent, with above-the-line talent keeping about 5% of global TV revenue. The YouTube value chain is much simpler: YT -> Creators, with creators keeping 55% of revenue. That's an 11x increase (5% -> 55%) in the share of total revenue going to the creative class when comping TV vs YT. It's hard to overstate how much of a structural game-changer YouTube has been for the entire video landscape.

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🚀 The Hero’s Journey: Understanding Your Audience's True Quest Building a successful startup means truly understanding your audience’s desired outcomes—the transformation they yearn for. We just published a new story on Medium that takes you through the hero’s journey, helping you align your product with what your audience truly wants. Discover how to be the mentor they need, help them overcome challenges, and create something they can't live without. Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/d5sGTXae #StartupSuccess #HeroJourney #KnowYourAudience #LeanSnapshot

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